The disastrous Minnesota GOP

By Alexander Burns

04/09/12 12:03 PM EDT

Of all the state GOP organizations mentioned in our story today, none is as financially distressed as the Minnesota Republican Party, which is carrying seven figures in debt thanks to mismanagement by the party's former leadership.

Mentioned in the story, but not yet posted, was a confidential treasurer's report outlining the Minnesota GOP's dire financial position. That report is now accessible here, with this blunt paragraph perhaps best summing up the contents:

There is nothing unusual to report here other than what has already been discussed except that we continue to be in a precarious working capital position. Consequently, please note that we are not paying our office lease rent payment currently (but have been in discussions with our landlord) and have not yet negotiated long-term payment schedules and/or negotiated settlements relating to most of the vendors on the accounts payable aging (see accompanying financial statements and schedules for summary accounts payable aging reports as of February 29 and January 31, 2012)

A spreadsheet documenting the party's financial problems is also viewable here. Minnesota was always unlikely to be a presidential or Senate battleground, but there are several congressional seats up that may end up being unexpectedly problematic for Republicans, and the state Legislature is also at risk.